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Journal of Population and Social Studies, Volume 27 Number 4, October 2019: 359 - 372
DOI: 10.25133/JPSSv27n4.024

Masturbation Experience: A Case Study of

Undergraduate Students in Bangladesh

Md. Razwan Hasan Khan Chowdhury1, Mohammad Rocky Khan Chowdhury1,

Nasrin Sultana Nipa2, Russell Kabir3*, Mohammad Ali Moni4, and Maria Kordowicz5

Abstract
In Bangladesh, masturbation is considered an impious activity. It has been widely documented that free
access to internet porn has led to high incidences of masturbation, especially among the youth. This
study attempts to understand the prevalence and practice of masturbation among university students
in Bangladesh. The methodology adopted was semi-structured interviews with 299 students from a
private university in Khulna, west Bangladesh. The sample was selected using stratified sampling
techniques from different academic departments (strata) of the university. Chi-square test and binary
logistic regression were performed to examine the association between masturbation and access to online
pornography.
The prevalence of masturbation among the students was 33.00% and it was found to be significantly
higher among male students (42.20%). Students who watched pornography at least once a week or once
a month were more likely to masturbate, with OR 161.43 (OR: 161.43, CI=38.64-674.39) and 112.3
(OR: 112.30, CI=22.80-553.22).
The study provides the foundation for understanding the practice of masturbation among students in
Bangladesh, with the aim of normalizing this activity.

Keywords
Masturbation; pornography; university students; Bangladesh; prevalence

Introduction
Masturbation or solitary sex is defined as an act of exciting one’s sexual organs by rubbing,
stroking, pressing, folding or other forms of manipulation to reach orgasm (Kabbash, Ali,
Kabbash & El-Naga, 2017). It is not only a way of familiarizing with one’s body but it has also
been viewed as an intervention against premature ejaculation and orgasmic disorder
(Gerressu, Mercer, Graham, Wellings & Johnson, 2007). Masturbation can form part of sexual
foreplay (Knowles, 2002). Although the history of masturbation is filled with myths and
negative connotations (Harvey 1993; Hodges 2005), evidence suggests that it is a normal part
of human sexual development and behavior. Over the centuries, attitudes towards
masturbation have become more liberal; it is now widely viewed as an acceptable form of

1 Department of Sociology, First Capital University of Bangladesh, Chuadanga, Bangladesh

2 Department of Sociology, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh
3 School of Allied Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, UK
4 School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia
5 School of Population Health and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine,
King’s College London, UK
* Russell Kabir, corresponding author. Email: russell.kabir@anglia.ac.uk
Masturbation Experience: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students in Bangladesh

sexual release (Lipsith, McCann & Goldmeier, 2003). Further, it is a safe sexual activity that
can contribute towards improved sexual health and a more rewarding sex life (Klein,
Rettenberger & Briken, 2014).
However, in Bangladesh, an overwhelmingly (90.00%) Muslim-majority country,
masturbation is generally regarded as a profane activity. Young people are discouraged from
masturbating, in the same way that masturbation has been viewed as sinful or undesirable
among other religious traditions (Bosch, 2005; Ghisa, 2010). Therefore, in Bangladesh, it is
rarely acceptable to talk openly about masturbation because it is considered embarrassing and
socially intolerable. It is likely that for this reason, no study on masturbation has been carried
out in Bangladesh; there are only very few of studies on this topic in other Muslim-majority
nations (Shekarey, Rostami, Mazdai & Mohammadi, 2011). Therefore, there are no previous
academic studies to build on the present research, whose aim is to understand the prevalence
and practice of masturbation among young adults in Bangladesh, in the hope of dispelling
existing stigma or taboo on that subject.

Review of Relevant Literature

The current study reviewed related studies in the context of developed countries due to lack
of published findings on Bangladesh. There have been several studies on masturbation,
pornography, and the link between masturbation and pornography (Harper & Hodgins, 2016;
Chi, Yu & Winter, 2012; Alsughier, 2015). In Britain, among those aged between 16 and 44
years, factors, such as marital status, having children, social class, education, and ethnicity
were significantly associated with masturbation activities (Gerressu et al., 2007). Masturbation
was found to be one of the most common sexual behaviors among Iranian teenagers in a study
which explored behaviors and attitudes towards masturbation. Difficult friendships, stress
and anxiety, family problems, lack of affection and related social factors were all found to
have an association with masturbation (Shekarey et al., 2011). A study carried out in Portugal,
Croatia, and Norway with participants with an average age of 40 found frequent masturbation
was positively associated with sexual boredom, frequent pornography use, and low
relationship intimacy (Sobieraj, Fabin, Wilczyński & Krysta, 2013). Wéry & Billieux (2016)
found that watching online pornography was the most prevalent online sexual activity, and
its problematic use became associated with solitary-arousal activities, higher sexual desire,
lower overall sexual satisfaction, and poorer erectile function.
A study of US adolescents aged between 14 and 17 years found the prevalence of masturbation
was higher among males (Robbins, 2011). Based on results of a meta-analysis from 177
sources, males aged over 18 years showed more positive attitudes towards masturbation than
females, whereas females aged below 18 had more positive attitudes than males under 18
(Oliver & Hyde, 1993). The religious and cultural pressure in Bangladesh that a woman should
be sexually inexperienced before marriage may be another cause for lower frequency of
female masturbation (Chi et al., 2012). On the other hand, Klein et al. (2014) found that a higher
degree of female hypersexual behavior was considerably associated with high masturbation
frequency, number of sexual partners, and watching pornography. Variables and associations
in these studies informed the methods of the present study.
Religious traditions vary in both their historic and contemporary views of masturbation.
Generally, contemporary Islam does not approve of masturbation except in some selective
circumstances, such as within a wedlock (Sunnah, n.d.). Muslims are encouraged to marry
early to reduce their sexual desires. Roman Catholic education has been known to describe
masturbation as a sexual imbalance (Malone, 1974); on the other hand, no claim is found in

360
 Md. Razwan Hasan Khan Chowdhury, et al

the Bible that explicitly rejects masturbation labelling it as sinful (Patton, 1985). Even in recent
years, masturbation continues to be regarded as sinful by the Roman Catholic, Eastern
Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox church (Matusiak, 2018; Catechism of the Catholic Church,
n.d.) as reproduction continues to be perceived as the sole acceptable reason for sexual
activity, and the non-reproductive emission of semen is seen as a defiance of the divine
directive to reproduce. Orthodox Judaism disapproves of male masturbation, and if emission
of semen occurs accidentally, this results in one day of impurity (Gagnon, 2015), thereby they
are not allowed to worship at the synagogue. Hinduism is not opposed to masturbation
though it recommends compulsory bathing after the act as a way of purifying the individual
(Muraleedharan, 2014). Buddhism does not condemn masturbation, rather, it guides one on
how to move beyond sexual desire (Higgins, 2018). Religious texts and teachings on female
masturbation are scarce. Research suggests men are more likely to masturbate than women,
and with greater frequency (Pinkerton, Bogart, Cecil & Abramson, 2003). It is believed the
stigma surrounding female masturbation has reduced in the Western world, and that
women’s self-reporting of masturbation has increased since the publication of Pinkerton’s
work in 2003.
In Bangladesh, an important indicator of adolescence is the production of semen and
menstruation (Bosch, 2005). Boys are encouraged to avoid masturbation and are taught that
releasing semen weakens their body and affects their reproductive health. Young men are also
cautioned that several sexual diseases can occur as a result of masturbation (Bosch, 2005).
Therefore, this practice considered sinful and harmful in the cultural, religious and health
contexts in Bangladesh.
Masturbation appears to be largely influenced by pornography (Darkmoon, 2012). The
internet is a common source of pornographic materials and online pornography is associated
with frequency of masturbation (Porto, 2016). According to some studies, the trend of viewing
online pornography is higher among undergraduate and post graduate students (Iqbal &
Mian, 2014; Chelsen, 2011; Ephraim, Chinweike & Michael, 2011). There are approximately
800,000 university students in Bangladesh (Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information
and Statistics, 2016) and in 2016 there was an estimated total of 62 million internet subscribers
in Bangladesh. Students can access the internet using their smartphones, laptops, tablets and
desktops, as well as through their educational institutions (Roknuzzaman, 2006), although
there is no direct evidence they are accessing pornography through these accounts.
Nevertheless, based on Google search statistics, the word ‘porn’ has been searched 800,000
times in Bangladesh out of 611 million globally. Similarly, the word ‘sex’ was searched 2.2
million times and ‘sex video’ 400,000 times (Moni, 2013; Chowdhury, Chowdhury, Kabir,
Perera & Kader, 2018). About 57% students from a study sample in Bangladesh reported
possessing pornographic materials (Saha et al., 2015) and a recent study in Bangladesh
revealed about 72% students consumed pornography at least once in their entire lives and
approximately 67% accessed pornography during their high school (Al Mamun, Arafat,
Ambiatunnahar & Griffiths, 2018). It is believed in Bangladesh social stigma, religious
superstitions and cultural rigidity hinder the young population from practicing their sexual
rights (Das & Roy, 2015).
Masturbation has been reported in various studies as a complex societal phenomenon
(Bancroft, 2004; Coon & Mitterer, 2009). In the US for example, each second, more than 0.7
million people masturbate (Wysaski, 2011). In US, around 84.00% of men and 72.00% of
women aged between 25 to 29 years masturbate (Herbenick et al., 2010). In Canada, 70 out of
100 married women and men masturbate occasionally (Coon & Mitterer, 2009), and around
58.00% of males and 42.00% of females aged 15 and 17 years old masturbate (Smith, Rosenthal,
& Reichler, 1996). No comparative data is available for Bangladesh.

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Masturbation Experience: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students in Bangladesh

The present study also examined association between masturbation and access to online
pornography among young adults, specifically university students, in Bangladesh. Given the
negative social context and religious injunction against masturbation, this study provided
self-reported evidence of masturbation to assess the impact of social taboo on masturbation
among young adults in this country. The study also determined the prevalence of
masturbation among university students in Bangladesh by examining a sample from a
selected university in Bangladesh.

Methodology
Data source
Participants were recruited from a private university in Khulna division, West Bangladesh.
This is the first and only private university in West Bangladesh which attracts students from
different regions of Bangladesh and with different socioeconomic backgrounds and cultures.
A survey was carried out between April and May 2016 to collect relevant data on the topic
using a stratified sampling strategy. There were approximately 1,500 undergraduate students
enrolled at the university during the time of data collection and there were eight academic
departments. For this study, each department was considered as a primary sampling unit
(PSU) so that sample size was distributed proportionally among all academic departments.
The following formula was used to calculate a sample size from each department:
𝑁
𝑛=
1 + 𝑁𝑑2

Where n = required sample size, N = population size (students from each department), d =
marginal error (we considered, d = 0.033), with a 95.00% confidence level. On an average, 38
students were randomly selected from each PSU. A total of 304 undergraduate students
agreed to participate in this study, although five were excluded because they were not in the
target age range of below 25 years. The final sample size was 299. Participation was voluntary,
and informed written consent was obtained from the respondents before the interview. The
respondents were briefed on the objectives of the study and the right of the participant to
withdraw at any time from the study without any obligation. Participant anonymity and
confidentiality were upheld, and no incentive, in cash or kind, was given to them for taking
part in the study. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of First Capital
University, Bangladesh.

Variable of the study

All face-to-face interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire. Pre-coded
and open-ended questions were used to collect data pertaining to masturbation (self-
stimulation of the sex organs, such as vagina or penis), and binary responses (yes/no) were
recorded. This study included information relating to socio-behavioral characteristics, nature
of interactions, study focus, sleeping habits and consumption of main meals. ‘Socio-behavioral
characteristics’ included socializing with friends, including late-nights with them (socializing
here refers to partying, late night gatherings, hanging out, watching movies, gossiping, and
playing cards among others) and participating in social activities to create social awareness
by participating or volunteering for non-profit and development organizations ‘Nature of
interactions’ refer to arguments/fights with friends due to affairs/relationships and hanging

362
 Md. Razwan Hasan Khan Chowdhury, et al

out with friends, and using social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and Skype to connect with
others. ‘Study factors’ included regular university attendance and focus on study. ‘Sleeping
habits’ and ‘consumption of main meals’ included going to bed on time and consuming three
meals a day respectively.
Further, access to online pornography for at least one hour per month was recorded for overall
consumption, male consumption and female consumption (see figures 1 & 2). In addition,
demographic characteristics, such as age, sex, religion, parents’ level of education, type of
family, place of residence, monthly household income, mass media exposure and health
problems (such as underweight, eye problems, blood pressure, etc.) were obtained.

Figure 1: Pornography consumption by gender

33.6%

9.5% 10.9%
8.0%
2.3% 2.3%

At least 1 hour At least 1 hour At least 1 hour

everyday once a week once a month

Figure 2: Frequency distribution of the respondents who watched online

pornography

26.1%

7.4% 8.4%

At least 1 hour At least 1 hour At least 1 hour

everyday once a week once a month

Analytical plan
Descriptive statistics using percentages where appropriate, and Chi-square (𝜒 2 ) test were
used to evaluate the association between outcome (masturbation) and independent variables
(covariates). A binary logistic regression model was used to examine the relationship between
pornography and masturbation. The SPSS 20.0 package was used for all statistical analysis
and significance level was set at p<0.05.

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Masturbation Experience: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students in Bangladesh

Results
A total of 299 undergraduate students, 30.00% females and the rest males were recruited; the
gender proportion reflects the student demographics at the university where this study was
implemented. More than 70.00% of participants were aged between 21 and 25. More than
10.00% of parents of students were illiterate, and around 80.00% of the students are from the
rural areas (Table 1). This suggests the students were generally of lower socio-economic status.
Monthly household income of <10,000 BDT (approximately US$120, annualized to <US$2,640)
was recorded for around 25.00% students (per capita GDP in Bangladesh was US$1,466 in
2016) (The Daily Star, 2016). Around 18.00% of students reported some health problems.

Table 1: Association between masturbation and socio-economic as well as behavioral

characteristics

Number Masturbate P values

Variables (Percent) No Yes ( χ 2 test)
Age (in years)
<20 70 (23.4%) 46 (65.7%) 24 (34.3%) 0.298
21-25 215 (71.9%) 141 (65.6%) 74 (34.4%)
>25 14 (4.7%) 12 (85.7%) 2 (14.3%)
Sex
Male 211 (70.6%) 122 (57.8%) 89 (42.2%) <0.001
Female 88 (29.4%) 77 (87.5%) 11 (12.5%)
Religion
Muslim 282 (94.3%) 189 (67.0%) 93 (33.0%) 0.487
Others (Hindus, Christians etc.) 17 (5.7%) 10 (58.8%) 7 (41.2%)
Father's education
No education 38 (12.7%) 25 (65.8%) 13 (34.2%) 0.763
Primary 76 (25.4%) 48 (63.2%) 28 (36.8%)
Secondary 81 (27.1%) 55 (67.9%) 26 (32.1%)
Higher secondary 43 (14.4%) 32 (74.4%) 11 (25.6%)
Higher 61 (20.4%) 25 (65.8%) 13 (34.2%)
Mother' education
No education 47 (15.7%) 32 (68.1%) 15 (31.9%) 0.647
Primary 125 (41.8%) 80 (64.0%) 45 (36.0%)
Secondary 90 (30.1%) 59 (65.6%) 31 (34.4%)
Higher secondary 25 (8.4%) 20 (80.0%) 5 (20.0%)
Higher 12 (4.0%) 8 (66.7%) 4 (33.3%)
Type of family
Nuclear 229 (76.6%) 153 (66.8%) 76 (33.2%) 0.865
Joint 70 (23.4%) 46 (65.7% 24 (34.3%)
Place of residence
Urban 54 (18.1%) 32 (59.3%) 22 (40.7%) 0.209
Rural 245 (81.9%) 167 (68.2%) 78 (31.8%)
Family head
Father 261 (87.3%) 173 (66.3%) 88 (33.7%) 0.924
Mother 19 (6.4%) 13 (68.4%) 6 (31.6%)
Elder brother 14 (4.7%) 9 (64.3%) 5 (35.7%)
Others 5 (1.7%) 4 (80.0%) 1 (20.0%)
Monthly household income (BDT)
<10000 75 (25.1%) 46 (61.3%) 29 (38.7%) 0.638
10001-20000 100 (33.4%) 66 (66.0%) 34 (34.0%)
20001-30000 72 (24.1%) 50 (69.4%) 22 (30.6%)
> 30000 52 (17.4%) 37 (71.2%) 15 (28.8%)
Do you read newspaper?
No 28 (9.2%) 17 (63.0%) 10 (37.0%) 0.949
Everyday 145 (47.5%) 94 (66.7%) 47 (33.3%)
one day in a week 116 (38.0%) 78 (67.8%) 37 (32.2%)
one day in a month 16 (5.2%) 10 (62.5%) 6 (37.5%)
Do you watch television?
No 30 (10.0%) 21 (70.0%) 9 (30.0%) 0.329
Everyday 180 (60.2%) 125 (69.4%) 55 (30.6%)

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 Md. Razwan Hasan Khan Chowdhury, et al

Number Masturbate P values

Variables (Percent) No Yes ( χ 2 test)
one day in a week 76 (25.4%) 44 (57.9%) 32 (42.1%)
one day in a month 13 (4.3%) 9 (69.2%) 4 (30.8%)
Are you suffering from any health problem?
No 246 (82.3%) 181 (73.6%) 65 (26.4%) <0.001
Yes 53 (17.7%) 18 (34.0%) 35 (66.0%)
Total 299 (100.0%) 199 (66.6%) 100 (33.4%)

Table 1 shows masturbation was significantly higher among male students (42.20%)
compared with females (12.50%) (p<0.001). Table 2 indicates socio-behavioral characteristics
of the students. Majority (80.60%) of the respondents often organized gatherings with their
friends. Late-night socializing with friends was reported by 29.80% students, almost half of
the students (49.20%) often argued/fought with friends, around 80.00% students attended
their lectures regularly, more than 70.00% students hang out with their friends and over
35.00% students did not go to bed on time. Students were found to masturbate at a
significantly higher rate when they socialized with friends late at night (41.60%, p=0.049),
argued/fought with friends (42.20%, p=0.002), hung out with friends (38.00%), p=0.005) and
did not go to bed on time (47.70%, p<0.001). Approximately 33.6% male students reported
watching pornography at least once a week whereas while 2.3% of female students consumed
pornography at least one hour every day.

Table 2: Association between behavioral characteristics and masturbation

Number Masturbate P values

Variables (Percent) No Yes ( χ 2 test)
Socializing with friends
No 58 (19.4%) 44 (75.9%) 14 (24.1%) 0.094
Yes 241 (80.6%) 155 (64.3) 86 (35.7%)
Late-night socializing with friends
No 210 (70.2%) 147 (70.0%) 63 (30.0%) 0.052
Yes 89 (29.8%) 52 (58.4%) 37 (41.6%)
Argue/fight with friends
No 152 (50.8%) 114 (75.0%) 38 (25.0%) 0.002
Yes 147 (49.2%) 85 (57.8%) 62 (42.2%)
Regular university attendance
No 87 (29.1%) 57 (65.5%) 30 (34.5%) 0.807
Yes 212 (70.9%) 142 (67.0%) 70 (33.0%)
Punctuality to university
No 60 (20.1%) 39 (65.0%) 21 (35.0%) 0.775
Yes 239 (79.9%) 160 (66.9%) 79 (33.1%)
Focused on studies
No 59 (19.7%) 35 (59.3%) 24 (40.7%) 0.189
Yes 240 (80.3%) 164 (68.3%) 76 (31.7%)
Fight with friends due to affair/relationship
No 249 (83.3%) 169 (67.9%) 80 (32.1%) 0.282
Yes 50 (16.7%) 30 (60.0%) 20 (40.0%)
Fooling around with friends
No 78 (26.1%) 62 (79.5%) 16 (20.5%) 0.005
Yes 221 (73.9%) 137 (62.0%) 84 (38.0%)
Go to bed on time
No 111 (37.1%) 58 (52.3%) 53 (47.7%) <0.001
Yes 188 (62.9%) 141 (75.0%) 47 (25.0%)
Consume three meals a day
No 88 (29.4%) 54 (61.4%) 34 (38.6%) 0.219
Yes 211 (70.6%) 145 (68.7%) 66 (31.3%)
Participate in social programs
No 34 (11.4%) 24 (70.6%) 10 (29.4%) 0.596
Yes 265 (88.6%) 175 (66.0%) 90 (34.0%)
Total 299 (100.0%) 199 (66.6%) 100 (33.4%)

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Masturbation Experience: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students in Bangladesh

Table 3 summarizes the link between the use of online pornography and masturbation.
Around 87.00% of students who watched online pornography masturbated regularly
(p<0.001). According to an adjusted model, students who watched pornography daily were
293 times (OR: 292.87, CI=43.10-1990.00) more likely to masturbate and similarly, those who
watched pornography at least once a week or once a month were more likely to masturbate,
with OR 161.43 (OR: 161.43, CI=38.64-674.39) and 112.3 (OR: 112.30, CI=22.80-553.22), than
those who did not. It is, of course, not possible to determine the direction of the association,
namely did students who masturbate more frequently seek out pornography more frequently
or did students who sought out pornography more frequently masturbate more often.

Table 3: Association between pornography and masturbation

Do you masturbate?
Watching P
Masturbation P P
pornography values Unadjusted OR Adjusted OR
values values
No 7(4.0%) 1.00 1.00
Everyday 19 (86.4%) 151.10 (36.04-633.49) <0.001 292.87 (43.10-1990.0) <0.001
<0.001
At least once a week 56 (71.8%) 60.73 (24.62-149.78) <0.001 161.43 (38.64-674.39) <0.001
At least once a month 18 (72.0%) 61.35 (19.33-194.71) <0.001 112.30 (22.80-553.22) <0.001
Total 100 (33.4%)

Table 4 and Table 5 have separately highlighted the relationship between reporting of
masturbation and socio-behavioral characteristics of the genders. It was found consumption
of pornography among male students had a significant association with arguing with friends,
hanging around with friends and going to bed on time whereas no association was found
between the behavioral factors and pornography addiction among female students.

Table 4: Association between behavioral characteristics and masturbation (male

only)

Number Masturbate P values

Variables (Percent) No Yes ( χ 2 test)
Socializing with friends
No 31 (14.7%) 21 (67.7%) 10 (32.3%) 0.226
Yes 180 (85.3%) 101 (56.1) 79 (43.9%)
Late-night socializing with friends
No 137 (64.9%) 85 (62.0%) 52 (38.0%) 0.091
Yes 74 (35.1%) 37 (50.0%) 37 (50.0%)
Argue/fight with friends
No 96 (45.5%) 65 (67.7%) 31 (32.3%) 0.008
Yes 115 (54.5%) 57 (49.6%) 58 (50.4%)
Regular university attendance
No 71 (33.6%) 43 (60.6%) 28 (39.4%) 0.566
Yes 140 (66.4%) 79 (56.4%) 61 (43.6%)
Punctuality to university
No 51 (24.2%) 31 (60.8%) 20 (39.2%) 0.623
Yes 160 (75.8%) 91 (56.9%) 69 (43.1%)
Focused on studies
No 54 (25.6%) 30 (55.6%) 24 (44.4%) 0.696
Yes 157 (74.4%) 92 (58.6%) 65 (41.4%)
Fight with friends due to affair/relationship
No 174 (82.5%) 102 (58.6%) 72 (41.4%) 0.610
Yes 37 (17.5%) 20 (54.1%) 17 (45.9%)
Hang around with friends
No 39 (18.5%) 28 (71.8%) 11 (28.2%) 0.050
Yes 172 (81.5%) 94 (54.7%) 78 (45.3%)
Go to bed on time
No 90 (42.7%) 40 (44.4%) 50 (55.6%) 0.001
Yes 121 (57.3%) 82 (67.8%) 39 (32.2%)

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 Md. Razwan Hasan Khan Chowdhury, et al

Number Masturbate P values

Variables (Percent) No Yes ( χ 2 test)
Consume three meals a day
No 61 (28.9%) 30 (49.2%) 31 (50.8%) 0.105
Yes 150 (71.1%) 92 (61.3%) 58 (38.7%)
Participate in social programs
No 28 (13.3%) 19 (67.9%) 9 (32.1%) 0.248
Yes 183 (86.7%) 103 (56.3%) 80 (43.7%)
Total 211 (100.0%) 122 (57.8%) 89 (42.2%)

Table 5: Association between behavioral characteristics and masturbation (female

only)

Number Masturbate P values

Variables (Percent) No Yes ( χ 2 test)
Socializing with friends
No 27 (30.7%) 23 (85.2%) 4 (14.8%) 0.662
Yes 61 (69.3%) 54 (88.5%) 7 (11.5%)
Late-night socializing with friends
No 73 (83.0%) 62 (84.9%) 11 (15.1%) 0.108
Yes 15 (17.0%) 15 (100.0%) 0 (0.0%)
Argue/fight with friends
No 56 (63.6%) 49 (87.5%) 7 (12.5%) 1.000
Yes 32 (36.4%) 28 (87.5%) 4 (12.5%)
Regular university attendance
No 16 (18.2%) 14 (87.5%) 2 (12.5%) 1.000
Yes 72 (81.8%) 63 (87.5%) 9 (12.5%)
Punctuality to university
No 9 (10.2%) 8 (88.9%) 1 (11.1%) 0.894
Yes 79 (89.8%) 69 (87.3%) 10 (12.7%)
Focused on studies
No 5 (5.7%) 5 (100.0%) 0(0.0%) 0.384
Yes 83 (94.3%) 72 (86.7%) 11 (13.3%)
Fight with friends due to affair/relationship
No 75 (85.2%) 67 (89.3%) 8 (10.7%) 0.212
Yes 13 (14.8%) 10 (76.9%) 3 (23.1%)
Fooling around with friends
No 39 (44.3%) 34 (87.2%) 5 (12.8%) 0.935
Yes 49 (55.7%) 43 (87.8%) 6 (12.2%)
Going to bed on time
No 21 (23.9%) 18 (44.4%) 3 (14.3%) 0.777
Yes 67 (76.1%) 59 (88.1%) 8 (11.9%)
Consume three meals a day
No 27 (30.7%) 24 (88.9%) 3 (11.1%) 0.793
Yes 61 (69.3%) 53 (86.9%) 8 (13.1%)
Participate in social programs
No 6 (6.8%) 5 (83.3%) 1 (16.7%) 0.749
Yes 82 (93.2%) 72 (87.8%) 10 (12.2%)
Total 88 (100.0%) 77 (85.5%) 11 (12.5%)

Discussion
The purpose of the study was to understand the prevalence and practice of masturbation by
showing the relationship between masturbation and social behaviors, including the use of
online pornography, in a Muslim-majority country like Bangladesh. This study found
significant associations between masturbation and selected indicators, including sex (male
and female), health problems, late-night socializing with friends, arguments/fights with
friends, hanging out with friends and going to bed late. The study suggests watching
pornography is likely led to masturbation. Results of the study were both consistent with and
different from other studies, as discussed below.

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Masturbation Experience: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students in Bangladesh

Results of the present study found masturbation was more prevalent among males, and this
is consistent with other published findings on this topic. A study that focused on university
students in Hong Kong found a high prevalence of masturbatory practice among male
students (70.60%), overseas students (64.29%), students from mainland China (30.43%),
students with religious beliefs (43.00%), and those with no religious beliefs (33.00%) (Yan,
2006). The current study examined masturbatory practices among male and female
Bangladeshi students. The finding did not show any association between religious beliefs and
masturbation. The data obtained were self-reported rather than based on statistical prevalence
of masturbation among university students in Bangladesh.
A study of undergraduate students in the US found negative attitudes towards masturbation
(Ray & Afflerbach, 2014). Another study found social norms, perceived pleasure, and sexual
activity were important mediators of masturbation experience and frequency among college
students in the US. (Pinkerton et al., 2003).
Positive, negative and even individual therapeutic aspects have been associated with
masturbation. For instance, in the present study, most of the students who suffered from some
health problems, for example eye problems, blood pressure, weakness (physical strength),
and sleeplessness, also practiced masturbation (although, the association is indeterminate).
Masturbatory practice was found to be higher among students who argued with their friends
than those who did not in the present study. Alsughier (2015) suggested masturbation is an
underlying cause of psychological problems, though arguably, the association may be the
result of masturbation being an outlet for dealing with stressful life events (Fahs & Frank,
2014). However, compulsive masturbation on a daily basis may create a dependency on it
(Alsughier, 2015). It may also lead to mental disorders due to cultural and religious guilt
(Gerressu et al., 2007; Davidson & Moore, 1994; Balhara & Deb, 2013), although this association
is unexplained and may be a statistical coincidence. Carvalheira, Træen and Stulhofer (2015)
reported that persons who suffer from higher levels of sexual boredom masturbated at least
several times weekly. Masturbation has been suggested as helpful in attaining sexual arousal
(Carvalheira et al., 2015); the authors reported around 4.00% of patients attending a medical
university in Poland, resorted to masturbation or sex to tackle sleeping abnormalities (Sobieraj
et al., 2013).
Masturbation has also been found to have social implications. The current study found
frequency of masturbation is higher among those who indulged in late night socialization.
One possible explanation is these participants found sexual amusement from each other and
from accessing online pornography. Future research should analyze this association in a more
in-depth manner. Additionally, future study may also focus on the prevalence of
masturbation among students who reported hanging out with their friends.
There was a high correlation between masturbation and access to online pornography. In
2012, the Anti-Pornography Act 2012 was introduced in Bangladesh which was aimed at
preventing the younger generation from moral degradation. This Act prohibits child
pornography, including still pictures, video or film with or without their consent as well as
printing, distributing and publishing of such materials or selling, supplying or exhibiting
child pornography (Saha et al., 2015). A study conducted among students at Dhaka University
relating to the 2012 Anti-Pornography Act revealed that one-fourth of the respondents
obtained pornographic materials from their friends (Saha et al., 2015). Students watch illegal
pornographic materials on the internet to meet their sexual fantasy and craving (Wéry &
Billieux, 2016). Harper and Hodgins (2016) reported a high correlation between Internet
pornography addiction with poor psychosocial behaviors (higher general anxiety, stress,
lower life satisfaction and use of problematic alcohol, cannabis, gambling and video games)

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 Md. Razwan Hasan Khan Chowdhury, et al

among undergraduate university students in Canada. Interestingly, pornography was also

seen as an easily accessible source of sex education about sexual practices like masturbation
(Chi et al., 2012).
This study found masturbation is not confined to males. Both sexes masturbate in varying
frequency despite regular negative messages and religious injunctions against this sexual
practice. Although the study did not investigate specific cultural and religious messages
regarding masturbation, it lays the foundation for future research on this topic, by suggesting
that sexuality may be a more powerful driver than religious instruction. The main strength of
this study is its variety of indicators, namely personal (sex, health problems etc.) socio-
economic (monthly household income, types of family, place of residence etc.) and socio-
demographic (late-night socializing with friends, arguing or fighting with friends, hanging
out with friends, going to bed on time and watching pornography among others) that
contribute to a new understanding on the practice of masturbation and associated behaviors.
Due to this being the first study of its kind in Bangladesh, the study’s contribution to
knowledge, as well as its potential to challenge the stigma and taboo surrounding
masturbation, is significant.
This study is not free from its limitations. Self-response information using a structured
questionnaire was the technique used for collecting data from respondents. Thus, the
reliability of data can be questioned due to its sensitive nature. Social desirability bias, the
need to appear to conform to dominant cultural and religious norms and standards, could
certainly have had an impact on participants’ responses. Prior to the survey, the respondents
were briefed on the objective of the study and the itemized questionnaire so that they would
have a proper understanding of the subject matter. The quantitative nature of this study meant
it lacked in-depth insights. Therefore, a qualitative approach adopted by future study on this
topic is vital to understand the relationship between masturbation and some of the covariates
where the direction of association is not clear. Although every effort was made to generalize
the findings of this study, a sample from one university does not represent the scenario of all
universities or all young adults in Bangladesh. Therefore, generalizability of findings is
limited. It is recommended a population-based study including non-university students
would allow for greater representativeness.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Masturbation is both a physiological and psychological phenomenon that is associated with
behaviors of university students in Bangladesh included in the study sample. Although the
practice of masturbation is condemned both from the cultural and the social angles, results of
this study revealed high prevalence of masturbation among young adults. The study also
indicated a correlation between masturbation and health problems, late-night socializing with
friends, arguing with friends, hanging out with friends, and staying up late. Hence, there is
clear association between masturbation and access to pornography. Sex educators could
consider these findings as a source of important information to develop materials which
normalize sexual experiences, and in this case, masturbation among young people. The study
also sheds light on this previously unexplored topic. Further research is needed in addressing
limitations of this study and to add to knowledge on this under-researched topic. It is hoped
this practice seen as taboo in Bangladeshi culture is eventually accepted as a normal biological
phenomenon.

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Masturbation Experience: A Case Study of Undergraduate Students in Bangladesh

Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the university and student participants in the study. We also
acknowledge Mark Henrickson, Massey University, Auckland, NZ, for his review and
editorial suggestions.

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